New Lessons From the Past: Florida Holocaust Museum Debuts Renovation

As the adage goes, history repeats itself. But one St. Petersburg museum is intent on ensuring that never happens.

In their own words, the Florida Holocaust Museum (FHM) “honors the memory of millions of innocent men, women, and children who suffered or died in the Holocaust. The museum is dedicated to teaching people of all races and cultures the inherent worth and dignity of human life in order to prevent future genocides.”

The FHM, now one of the largest of its kind in the country, was founded in Madeira Beach in 1992 by Walter P. Loebenberg, a Holocaust survivor and U.S. Army veteran, according to the FHM. In 1998 the museum moved to a 27,000-square-foot space in downtown St. Petersburg and was renamed The Florida Holocaust Museum in 1999.

Now, after a 14-month renovation, the FHM reopened September 9 with upgraded security, enhanced accessibility, a new entrance, an open-air second-story balcony, a theater, expanded digital learning tools, and an installation from The Wiesel Collection.

“The FHM is not only a guardian of history,” says Eric Stillman, FHM president and CEO. “It is a catalyst for learning and understanding. Here in St. Petersburg and across the Tampa Bay region, the FHM serves as a place where our community can come together to confront the lessons of the past and apply them to the challenges of today.”

In other words, the work of the museum goes far beyond a history lesson. 

“Our mission is rooted in remembrance, but it is equally focused on inspiring the courage to stand up against antisemitism in all its forms,” says Stillman. “This work belongs to all of us, and its impact extends far beyond our walls.”

The renovation project, which was led by Hennessy Construction Services in partnership with St. Petersburg-based architecture firm Behar + Peteranecz, promises new and returning visitors a “modern, mission-centered museum experience,” combining permanent and new elements in surprising, thought-provoking ways. 

The museum’s core exhibition – History, Heritage, and Hope – has been “completely re-imagined,” according to the FHM, retracing the origins of the Holocaust to its aftermath through original artifacts, first-hand survivor testimony, and photographs. Coming specialty exhibits will focus on firsthand accounts of liberation, the history of Jewish delis in America, and the Civil Rights Movement in Tampa Bay.

The museum is also testing out a new, immersive experience, Dimensions in Testimony, that invites visitors to have conversations with Holocaust survivors. The FHM is one of only a dozen museums in the world to offer this experience, which is in the beta-testing process before it becomes part of the permanent collection.

One of the museum’s most significant additions is The Wiesel Collection, which includes Nobel Laureate and Holocaust survivor Dr. Elie Wiesel’s Nobel Prize, contents of his offices and library, unfinished manuscripts, letters from world leaders, artwork, and audio recordings. Wiesel was a professor at St. Petersburg’s Eckerd College and cut the ribbon at the museum’s downtown location in 1998.

There are also items from Elie’s wife Marion, who passed away in February of this year. Marion was a gifted translator in five languages, a humanitarian, activist, filmmaker, and fellow survivor. Together, she and her husband founded the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity. 

“I’m excited the FHM will be home to my father’s entire archive, including a re-creation of his office, honoring his unwavering dedication to truth, humanity, and remembrance,” Elisha Wiesel, son of Elie and Marion and chairman of the Elie Wiesel Foundation, said in a statement released by the museum. “For almost 30 years, my father taught at Eckerd College, and he and my mother fell in love with St. Petersburg and the surrounding community, which is why I’m honored to be a part of solidifying the importance of this location to my father with the permanent exhibit of his collection.”

Currently, museum staff are working to register, catalog, preserve, and interpret the artifacts, which include about 900 boxes – 3,000 cubic feet of items – from Wiesel’s New York and Boston offices. The collection will be fully completed at a later date.

 The Holocaust museum also debuts a new installation: Thor, a 10-ton Danish fishing boat used in the 1943 rescue of over 7,000 Jews. The vessel will be placed next to Boxcar #113 069-5, which rests on a piece of track from the site of the former Treblinka Killing Center. This juxtaposition, according to the museum, balances the lessons of the Holocaust with a beacon of hope, reminding us of what is possible when people choose to stand up for one another.

“When visitors walk through the FHM, I hope they leave with a renewed understanding that indifference is never an option,” says Stillman. “The lessons of the Holocaust are not just history; they are urgent reminders about the consequences of hatred and the power of standing up for what is right. My hope for the FHM’s reopening is that it will reenergize our community’s commitment, inspiring each person to make a difference in their own corner of the world.”

For more information, visit the Florida Holocaust Museum online at thefhm.org or call 727-820-0100.

Correction 10/21/25: And earlier version of this article and the print version stated that the new Dimensions in Testimony exhibit was powered by AI. Dimensions in Testimony is an interactive digital exhibit but does not use Artificial Intelligence. We apologize for the error.